POLICY: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signs legislation requiring the state’s utilities to deliver 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040, as state officials express confidence the new law will withstand a legal challenge from neighboring North Dakota. (MPR News)
FOSSIL FUELS: Minnesota’s largest electric co-op wants the option to burn fuel oil at an existing gas peaker plant, which environmental groups call a step backward that will increase air pollution. (Energy News Network)
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BIOFUELS:
• Water quality advocates raise concerns that the Inflation Reduction Act’s incentives for corn-based biofuels and bioenergy could lead to more water pollution in the Midwest. (The Guardian)
• The head of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says “capturing and sequestering carbon will be life or death for most ethanol plants over the next five years.” (Iowa Capital Dispatch)
WIND:
• The fate of a 73-turbine wind project near a popular bird-watching area in northwestern Ohio could soon be decided by the state Supreme Court. (Cleveland.com)
• A central Iowa county holds a public hearing on long-discussed changes to its ordinance regulating wind energy development. (Times-Republican)
PIPELINES:
• The involvement of prominent Republican donors and politicians in carbon pipeline projects has made it “politically uncomfortable” to raise concerns, says one Iowa state senator. (Radio Iowa)
• An Illinois county rejects a carbon pipeline developer’s offer of $18 million over 30 years in exchange for cooperation with its proposal. (Tri States Public Radio)
• Kansas faith leaders join environmental groups in calling for more transparency from the Keystone pipeline’s operator following a major spill in December. (Kansas Reflector)
SOLAR:
• Ohio and Indiana are among the states poised for a major solar energy buildout despite opposition to new federal clean energy incentives by its Republican lawmakers. (Bloomberg)
• Wisconsin farmers are opting to lease portions of their land for utility-scale solar projects to secure reliable income that can allow the rest of their property to remain viable farmland for generations. (Sun Prairie Star)
OHIO: The trial of former House Speaker Larry Householder is delayed for a second time after a juror tests positive for COVID-19. (WHIO)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: A specialty vehicle manufacturer will invest $16 million to produce up to 3,000 electric commercial vehicles per year near Lansing, Michigan. (MiBiz)
GRID:
• FirstEnergy’s plan to sell a 30% stake in a transmission subsidiary for $3.5 billion highlights the “attractive value” of federally regulated transmission businesses, analysts say. (Utility Dive)
• Michigan utility Consumers Energy says its recent grid infrastructure upgrades led to 20% fewer outages last year compared to 2021. (WOOD-TV8)
BUILDINGS: An Ann Arbor, Michigan developer receives local approval to build an all-electric, highly efficient apartment building that will produce more energy than it consumes. (MLive)
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JOBS: The wind, solar and electric vehicle manufacturing sectors are driving clean energy job growth since the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law last August. (CNBC)
COMMENTARY: Economic modeling shows how Minnesota stands to benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act’s targeted investments in clean energy and efficiency, a researcher writes. (MinnPost)
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